Comments

07: Through a Glass Darkly – Teaching Plan — 17 Comments

1. Commenting on part 3, I personally don't think there is anything wrong with education as such. In fact it seems to me that God would love his people to become very well educated and full of wisdom which is what He gave Solomon only Solomon thought he was too wise to fall and found out the hard way how wrong he was.

   During the middle ages in Europe the people that were better off were the Protestants who valued education while the Roman Catholic Church tended to favor simplicity even among its own church leaders who in a lot of cases knew less than many of those in their congregations.

   The problem to me is the same as money which is not a matter of how much but how we relate to it. When we become wise in our own eyes and lose a humble attitude before God then we become fools and darkness covers our path. As the psalmist said, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Ps. 14:1 NKJV). And Solomon recognizing the same thing counseled, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Prov. 1:7 NKJV) and asked, "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge" (Prov. 1:22 NKJV).

   Pride in knowledge is what destroyed the antediluvians of Noah's day. They saw the garden, knew the history of Adam and Eve and yet through the science of their day calculated that a flood was impossible. They became what Job sarcastically said of his friends, "No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you" (Job 12:2 NKJV).

   When Paul argued from wisdom on Mars hill in Athens the philosophers of Greek culture rejected the simplicity of Paul's message in favor of their own understanding. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools" (Rom. 1:20-22 NKJV). And so it is today where the theories of man take precedence over the Bible and the many evidences of what it says.

   To the Christian the basis of understand is in God and with that we are expected to increase the talent given to us (Mat 25:14-30). Our understanding and knowledge is to increase but humbly so. "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3 NKJV).

   (0)

   Reply ↓

   • I agree with you Tyler. Jesus certainly valued education as a human being. Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
     Consider these scriptures from the New King James Version:
     Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
     Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
     Proverbs 16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
     Proverbs 19:8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
     Matthew 13:54 When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
     Mark 6:2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!
     2 Timothy 3:13-15
     13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
     We must know that we are learning from the One Who is the source of all wisdom and knowledge and not from the great deceiver who led Eve astray by implying that she could “be like God, knowing good and evil” by eating the forbidden fruit.
     Let us not profess ourselves to be wise, but rather, may we obtain the gift of the wisdom of God as Jesus did.

     (0)

     Reply ↓

2. In my last comment I said, "I personally don’t think there is anything wrong with education as such." That was a guarded statement which I will explain in a paragraph or two but in the meantime here is a quote from Ellen White on the extent we can go in education:

   Dear youth, what is the aim and purpose of your life? Are you ambitious for education that you may have a name and position in the world? Have you thoughts that you dare not express, that you may one day stand upon the summit of intellectual greatness; that you may sit in deliberative and legislative councils, and help to enact laws for the nation? There is nothing wrong in these aspirations . . . Balanced by religious principle, you may climb to any height you please. We would be glad to see you rising to the noble elevation God designs that you shall reach. Jesus loves the precious youth; and He is not pleased to see them grow up with uncultivated, undeveloped talents. They may become strong men of firm principle, fitted to be intrusted with high responsibilities, and to this end they may lawfully strain every nerve.
   But never commit so great a crime as to pervert your God-given powers to devil and destroy others. {Fundamentals of Christian Education 82}

   In other words the sky is the limit and the parable of the talents commands us to go as far as we can. However, it is obvious that we are not to become professional students for there is a point which we will reach when we need to use our education for the benefit of others rather than self.

   I pointed out one of the main problems of well educated people in my last comment but there are other dangers for us to be aware of. The well used text, "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6 NKJV) carries with it a wicked two edged sword. While it is a wonderful promise to the people of God it is also a warning to those involved in wrong education.

   The schools of the world, more often than not, train young people to be infidels and in some cases barely above the level of the common criminal. Under these circumstances the saying is true, "as the twig is bent so grows the tree." After the character is formed and a young person is indoctrinated with bad education it becomes very difficult to change that course and often that person goes on to be the incubator of more bad habits and philosophy. Only by the grace of God and a heart that is not yet hardened can such a person be reached and redirected.

   There is nothing worse than an educated person bent on making what is clearly the truth into a lie and the lie appear to be truth. The flames of hell eagerly wait for such people who side with the devil to destroy and deceive in all his craftiness.

   (0)

   Reply ↓

   • Tyler, I enjoy reading your comments and find them useful and thought-provoking. However,I find some of your comments on secular education very strong indeed. The paragraph beginning 'The schools of this world, more often than not, train young people to be infidels,and in some cases barely above the level of the common criminal. Under these circumstances the saying is true "as the twig is bent so grows the tree."' The last two paragraphs have very strong and inflammatory statements.

     I have been educated all my life in non-Seventh-day Adventist institutions. I went to school knowing about God but at no time did my teachers or lecturers try to dissuade me from believing in God. In fact when statements were made about God or evolution, they strengthened my curiosity to know more about God. I learnt love,reverence of and obedience to God in the primary and high schools I attended. The university I attended has a chapel and ministers of some denominations are allowed to come and preach to their congregants. Because of the large percentage of Seventh-day Adventists at that institution, there is now a Seventh-day Adventist Chaplain there. In addition to the academic, social and physical training I received, the morals I learnt at home were reinforced at school and I developed character traits I didn't possess because of the exposure. We need to be careful of the statements we make regarding secular and non-Seventh-day Adventist schools.

     (0)

     Reply ↓

     • Dolice, I have no idea where you live or what schools you have attended. I only know of the schools I have gone to. Most of my education was in public schools in the United States and I was only able to attend Walla Walla University for a very brief period of time.

       I do not remember any real attempt to instruct students on moral issues in my primary or high school grades. I am sure that many of my teachers were religiously oriented and one of them seemed intent on dealing with some concepts but other than that religious instruction was nonexistent and generally considered inappropriate.

       When I attended a two year technical school in Cincinnati, Ohio, in an effort to align themselves with the requirements of the University of Cincinnati core requirements, they had a general course which they called Humanities. It included a wide range of topics such as politics, various social issues, and religion. That was the extent of dealing with religion in college outside of Walla Walla University.

       In public institutions when it came to science it was all evolution and even though my instructors never argued with me they made it quite clear what they thought of creationism - a bunch misinformation and nonsense. In the public colleges I have attended the pressure to conform to the prevailing theory is constant. In anthropology it is all considered mythology. In Geology any thought of a flood is not even remotely entertained where memorization of long ages are required in order to pass a course. For the person seriously believing in the Bible the whole thing is an uphill battle.

       Besides, it is well understood that groups such as the National Center of Science Education in the US would dearly love to limit all origins discussion to evolution and block all dissenting discussion in the classroom. Here is a rather chilling article in The Guardian that demonstrates the attitude toward this in the UK (http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/sep/19/scientists-demand-guidelines-creationism-schools) and in the US it is every bit as bad. While there are freedom of education bills being proposed protecting teachers that choose to discuss such issues in several states there is a determined campaign against the passage of any of them on the federal level. Such is the war that is being waged in the circles of education.

       Most of the major Creationist and ID organizations don't want to force instruction in those topics but rather want an educational environment where the pros and cons of alternative theories can be freely discussed. They feel that a one sided approach where only one theory is considered is a total lack of freedom and an absolute detriment to real science.

       In short I don't believe we should think for a moment that the devil is idle in his war against God. He attacks the youth because he knows if he can get them on his side it is usually for life. That is why I believe Christian education is so important and why I am generally at odds with state run schools.

       (0)

       Reply ↓

       • Tyler, I understand now your perspective. I live in Jamaica, the West Indies, and praise God we haven't reached the stage of suppressing the teaching of Creation. I am, however, concerned as teachers of religious studies in our schools no longer teach Christianity alone but a wide range of religions. Our children in school still are exposed to morning worship and in some schools they say their evening prayers before leaving for home. Most students believe in God and in some way are guided by that belief. This doesn't translate into their being committed Christians the way we know it.

         (0)

         Reply ↓

       • "This doesn’t translate into their being committed Christians the way we know it." That is true but at least Jamaica hasn't thrown out God altogether and because of that I believe there is more hope for your country than for many of the industrialized nations of the world.

         I also believe that what is happening in the US and the UK is the reason that the beast with the lamb like horns will do what is prophesied:

         He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Rev. 13:16-17 NKJV).

         (0)

         Reply ↓

       • Interesting dialogue - and while being in Adventist Christian Education is not a guarantee that the ememy will not attack our children - having praying committed teachers, who support the Christian parent who is also working with the Holy Spirit for the salvation of their child and coupled with a nurturing church family who lives out the principle of God in love and care for each other - all help. (pardon this run-on sentence!) With so many of our children in the US and Europe leaving our churches and opting for the "religion of self" - for most do not join other Christian demominations. We taught them enough about "Babylon" that they generally do not seek a relationship with Christ in another fellowship. But I digress - with all that we know is ocurring in schools in the US should there be a stronger emphasis on provide quality Adventist education starting not just in college but at the elementary level!!!?

         (0)

         Reply ↓

3. "Every human being, created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator—individuality, power to think and to do. The men in whom this power is developed are the men who bear responsibilities, who are leaders in enterprise, and who influence character. It is the work of true education to develop this power, to train the youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men’s thought." (Ed 17)

   This classic Ellen White quote on true education is succinctly elaborated by the following excerpt from Dr. Gordon Clark's JETS article entitled "The Image of God in Man:"

   Paradoxical though it may seem, man could not be the sinner he is, if he were not still God's image. Sinning presupposes rationality and voluntary decisions. Animals cannot sin. Sin therefore requires God's image because man is responsible for His sins. If there were no responsibility, there could be nothing properly called sin. Sin is an offense against God, and God calls us to account. If we were not answerable to God, repentance would be useless and even non-sense. Reprobation and hell would also be impossible.

   We note for one thing that Christ is the image of God (Heb. 1:3), and that He is the logos and wisdom of God. We note too that Adam was given dominion over nature. These two points, seemingly unrelated, suggest that the image of God is logic or rationality. Adam was superior to the animals because he was a rational and not merely a sensory creation. The image of God therefore is reason.

   The image must be reason because God is truth, and fellowship with Him--a most important purpose in creation--requires thinking and understanding. Without reason man would doubtless glorify God as do stars, stones, and animals, but he could not enjoy Him forever. [Animals] cannot have what the Scripture calls eternal life because eternal life is to know God, and knowledge is an exercise of the mind or reason. Sin thus interferes with our thinking. It does not, however, prevent us from thinking. Sin does not eradicate or annihilate the image. It causes a malfunction, but man still remains man.

   Regeneration and the process of sanctification reverse the sinful direction of the malfunctioning: the person is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him. First the more obvious, the grosser sins are suppressed because the new man begins to think and evaluate in conformity with God's precepts. Second and third, the new man advances to restrain the more subtle sins that have made his heart deceitful above measure. Errors in arithmetic may seem trivial in comparison but these too are effects of sin, and salvation will improve a man's thinking in all matters.

   The Biblical material is correctly summarized by identifying the distinctive characteristic of man as reason. Sin has caused its malfunction. Redemption will renew men in knowledge (righteousness and holiness) after the image of Him that created him. Then in heaven we will not make mistakes even in arithmetic.

   (0)

   Reply ↓

   • This is a new concept to me Bing. I appreciate you sharing it. Praise the Lord that He has not only created us in His image, but He is also recreating us and will one day soon glorify us as His redeemed children!

     (0)

     Reply ↓

   • Bing, the Ellen White quote is a good one. I find that the context of the quote is as important as the quote itself. In it she talks about educating beyond the narrow breadth of knowledge that man has so in this quote Mrs. White was saying that there is more to man than just an extended animal therefore we need to educate with the infinite in mind by including concepts that are in the Bible.

     Even though I can see what Dr. Clark is saying I feel that he was trying to define God too closely and through the concept of image he defines man the same way. Certainly, man is above the animals and yes we have the ability to reason but our abilities go beyond being computers that analyze things.

     Some animals can use a combination of available tools so they can reason to a degree but they don't design and build them. Apes haven't designed and used the wheel and they don't build houses, they simply use what is available to them at the time. Humans look at a sunset and exclaim what beauty it has while apes see a sunset and go about finding a place to sleep for the night - they simply can't appreciate such things beyond the necessity of survival. Artistic beauty doesn't take logic and reasoning, it takes other qualities that God has given man and together they make up what is "akin" (similar) to God.

     Like so many other theological discourses Dr. Clark who was primarily a philosopher tended to define man by listing qualities that he felt man shares with his creator. He said this is how man is like God but God cannot be confined within man's narrow mode of thinking. God is infinite in every direction and therefore beyond description. We can say that man is like God in this or that way because we understand what that particular quality is but there is an infinity beyond that we can't conceive of, don't know anything about, and therefore our comparison and concept of what the image includes falls woefully short.

     As far as being perfect goes, the text that says, "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48 NKJV) is a concluding statement on being like God that loves everybody whether friend or foe. It is not an all inclusive statement that says that we will never make mistakes. We will never be God who is literally perfect in everything and we are not machines that have perfect reproducibility. Our claim to fame, if there ever is such a thing, is in the fact that we can think in abstract intangible ways and can "create" and conceive things that are not copies of something else. That is the difference between a computer and the human brain. The computer is great for doing highly repetitive tasks but it can't appreciate what man can appreciate. It can't "create" without first being programmed by a creative intelligence such as man to "create" and by extension man can't do what he can do without first being programmed by God.

     God is the unique being in the universe, the only one from which everything else derives whether it is physical or conceptual who said, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 55:9 NKJV).

     (0)

     Reply ↓

4. Hi Tyler, I fully agree with you in a contextual approach to study. The rest of the paragraph I quoted from Ellen White states:

   "Instead of confining their study to that which men have said or written, let students be directed to the sources of truth, to the vast fields opened for research in NATURE AND REVELATION. Let them contemplate the great facts of duty and destiny, and the mind will expand and strengthen (emphasis mine)."

   I take the paragraph to mean that true education will expand the mind in its reflection of God's general and special revelation which will be covered by the SS lesson in more detail next week.

   In line with contextual study, it would be well to use the approach in understanding Dr. Clark's writeup. He is not confining human reason to autonomic logic of computers. Instead, he emphasized volition, responsibility, accountability and repentance along with rationality. This is reflective of God's invitation: "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18 NAS)

   Dr. Clark asserts: "Without reason man would doubtless glorify God as do stars, stones, and animals, but he could not ENJOY HIM FOREVER (emphasis mine)." Again, he evidently does not limit our God-given reasoning to mechanical logic. Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. "Delight yourself in the LORD ; And He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4) This is the essence of worship and the Biblical view of reason makes this possible.

   Furthermore, I find no hint from Dr. Clark's article of putting God in a box of man's narrow mode of thinking. According to him reason in the Scriptures include accountability and repentance, two Biblical tenets on our total subordination to and utter dependence on God. This is a clear distinction between God's infinity and man's finitude.

   Finally, saying that we will not make mistakes in heaven even in arithmetic (a touch of humor) is not the same as saying that we will have God's underived perfection. Dr. Clark's point is that in the earth made new the process of divine regeneration will be complete in us. In no way do I read him suggesting that we will be in a completely reprogrammed state in heaven. After all, God conceived the plan of redemption in the great controversy so we can freely worship Him in contrast with manipulating our minds.

   Not only do I find Dr. Clark's interpretation of the image of God in man Biblical, I appreciate all the more that it is Christ-centered. Christ is the image of God (Hebrews 1:3) God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33); He is a rational being, the Lord God of truth (Psalm 31:5). In John 1:1 Jesus Christ is called the “Logic” of God: “In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God” (the English word “logic” is derived from the Greek logos used in this verse). Thus, I find our Sabbath School Bible study as a response to His invitation, "Come, let us reason together."

   (0)

   Reply ↓

   • Bing, perhaps I did not present things with clarity. I never intended to refute all of what Dr. Clark said. I can agree with most of it. My only concern is that he was trying to define precisely what the image of God is when we really know so little about God outside of what is presented in Scripture. The Bible is a guidebook written with the purpose to give us instruction on salvation. It doesn't answer our curiosity about the physical nature of God but focuses in on our relationship to Him and what His character is like. Therefore we have an enormous gap in understanding which will never be completely bridged because God is infinite. It is my understanding that we will be learning about God and the plan of salvation throughout all of eternity - and that is a lot of gap to fill so why should we think that we know everything at this point in time?

     When we make absolute statements about things we actually know very little about I believe we are stepping on enchanted ground and usually get ourselves in trouble because of it. As Dr. Clark explains on the first page of his paper, "The doctrine of the image of God has been studied throughout the history of theology." To my understanding that is something that has yet to be resolved. As I pointed out there are things that separate us from the animal kingdom that doesn't require reason and I am sure we will find out other things that we haven't even thought of yet. So for one, I will never attempt to delineate in detail what that image consists of except to say that it apparently involves some of the attributes of God which seems to include things such as our ability to produce art and design. Beyond that my mouth is shut in fear that God may question me as He did job and I end up just as humbled as Job was.

     When I used the computer to explain things I was doing so in an effort to explain the situation in a way I thought most people would understand but perhaps it just confused the issue. For that I am sorry and apologize for the misunderstanding.

     (0)

     Reply ↓

     • Hi Tyler,

       Thanks for your feedback. I share your concern (so does Dr. Clark, at least in my reading of his article). Only God has absolute knowledge and thus, no one outside of Him can make absolute statements. And yes, our mouths should be shut outside of God's revelation, i.e. our thinking and understanding must be kept within the bounds of Scripture as you said.

       In fairness to Dr. Clark, he stayed within these limits of interpretation. His was not an attempt to provide an absolute definition of the image of God. Neither did he insinuate curiosity about God's physical nature. He simply presented his understanding of what the Biblical data reveals on the subject. No endeavor was made on his part to fill the gap the Bible left this side of eternity.

       Yet, that gap is no reason for us to refrain from learning what the Lord has clearly revealed in the Scriptures for both our redemptive and worshipful knowledge. Our SS Bible study, this blog in particular, should attest to that.

       Meanwhile, we continue to recognize both revelation and continuing mystery in what God has spoken. When our human capacities are exhausted in their contemplation, may we be reminded in that moment that, "Sometimes it is more important to worship such a God than to understand Him."

       Happy Sabbath!

       Bing

       (0)

       Reply ↓

       • Tyler and Bing, from your enlightening exchanges (which I'm just reading for the first time), could we then say with scriptural authority that "man was made in the image of God", and also, with the same scriptural authority state that "God is NOT like man"? And even less so in our fallen state. Perhaps a comparison could be the image of Abe Lincoln on the penny is NOT Abe Lincoln. A brand new shiny penny fresh from the mint is closer in it's details than the well-worn tarnished penny, but in neither case is Abe fully represented.

         As for reason, I believe we must consider the fall of mankind and subject our reasoning to Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and accept His invitation to "reason together" with Him. This seems to be the counsel of the Holy Spirit through Paul to the Corinthians (2 Cor 10:5) where the margin reads: "Reasonings" as an alternate of "imaginations" (KJV).

         By ourselves, our reasoning is faulty and perverted by nature, but when yoked together with, and subjected to Jesus, we are found complete in Him. Through faith and it's obedience, our reasoning can become sanctified if constantly relying on the "power the worketh in us".(Eph 3:20)

         Just a few thoughts your exchange brought to mind.

         (0)

         Reply ↓

5. Hi Larry, I also find Dr. Gordon Clark's take on the Biblical teaching of the Image of God refreshing and one of the most comprehensive explanations of the subject. Here's the link to his article:

   www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/12/12-4/12-4-pp215-222_JETS.pdf [Note: This is a 951 KB file.]

   He dedicates a section on the different views held by the Christian church in history to the present on the subject. In my mind, an understanding of the Image of God in man is essential to our SS Bible studies this quarter. Blessings, Bing

   (0)

   Reply ↓

6. Hi Robert,

   The Hebrew word ‘SELEM’ (Strong’s H6754) for image in Genesis 1:27 is “a noun meaning an image, a likeness, a statue, a model, a drawing, a shadow.” Your penny comparison fits the definition. Considering reason as the image of God, we can say that man is in the likeness of God because he has been endowed with similar faculties of thinking and knowing. In the same breath, we can say that man is not like God because he is not omniscient (all-knowing) in his thinking capacity.

   Sin does not eradicate or annihilate the image. It causes a malfunction, but man still remains man. God did not turn him into a demon or a beast. 2 Corinthians 10:5 alludes to this malfunction and is rendered well by the NIV: “every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.” The context of the verse is Paul’s admonition to do spiritual warfare by overthrowing reasonings (imaginations, pretensions), namely: Judaizing self-righteousness, philosophical speculations, and rhetorical sophistries.

   As you correctly pointed out, sanctified reasoning through the enabling of the Holy Spirit reverses the sinful direction of the malfunctioning. This is done by “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (the LOGOS and perfect image of God ~Hebrews 1:3 NKJV).

   Blessings,

   Bing

   (0)

   Reply ↓

Please make sure you have provided a full name in the "Name" field and a working email address we can use to contact you, if necessary. (Your email address will not be published.)

HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>